Time-element device.



Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

l. L. JOHNSON. TIME ELEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, mm.

II I lrlvlllOlllllll +n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. JOHNSON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TIME-ELEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Iiec 17, 1918 Application filed June 12, 1911. Serial No. 632,532.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it, known that I, Join; L. JonnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of 1\lilwaukce and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time- Element Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to time-element devices.

In some devices it is often desirable that the abnormal condition be permitted to exist for a limited time, but if it persists longer than that time that proper "'protec tivc steps be taken. T hus overload circuitbreakc-rs are sometimes arranged so that the overload does not cause the tripping of'the circuit-breaker until it has lasted for a predctern'iined time.

It is an object of my invention to make the time element of the time-element device vary inversely as the abnormality of the controlling condition; for instance, in a time-element overload circuit-brcaker, to make the time element an inverse function of the overload current for values of the latter up to a predetermined point.

This is accomplished by obtaining the, time element by the flow of a fluid through an orifice, and varying the size of the orifice in accordance with the extent of the controlling abnormal condition.

The above mentioned and other novel features of the invention will appear from' the description 'and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The figure shows my invention embodied in a Hum-element device for overload circuit-breakers.

In the mains 10 is located a circuit-' breaker 11. This circuit-breaker is held in closed position by a latch 12, which may be' released by a coil 13 when the latter is energized. This coll 1s normally .deenere gized, its clrcult including, a normally open switch 14'monnted in the upper partof a fluid containing tube 15 in which is an iron piston 16 biased'to the bottom of the tube by gravity or a spring 17 or both. The fluid in the tube .15 may be gaseous or liquid, and is preferablypil. The piston 16 is also the'core of acoil 18, which-is connected in series with the. mains 10, preferably in shunt to arheostat 19 provided for ad just rhefit'piirposes. The spaces 'in the space below the core.

tube 15 above and below the piston 16 are connected by a by-pass 20 inwhich is a valve 21 of any suitable type. As shown, the movable member '22 of this valve 21 is slightly eccentric, so that its moven'ients vary the size of the orifice through which the fluid in the tube must pass in going from one side of the piston 16 to the other side thereof. A valve 23 in the piston 16 permits the fluid to pass from the space below the piston to the-space above it without going through the by-pas's. The valve member 22 is movable by a coil 24, connected in series with the coil 18 in the shunt around the rheostat'lt).

The pull of the coils 18 and 24 on their cores varies with the current in the mains 1t). .Wlien such current exceeds a, predethe core 16.upward, forcing the fluid above the core 16 through the by-pass 20 into the ment of the core 16 is limited by the speed at which the fluid can pass through the bypass. The heavier the overload, the farther the coil 2- moves the valvesinember 22 in -a conliter-clockwise direction and wider the orifice in the by-pass QOis opened, 50.

The upward time:

that the rate. at which the flnid. can pass through the by-pass, and consequently-the rate'at which the core 16 moves upward, is a direct function of the strength of the current.

Thus the amount of retardation caused by the fluid varies, dependent on the extent of opening of the valve-member 22, and decreases until no further decrease is possible, that is, when the valve is opened to its maximum extent. When that occurs, as when the core of coil 2-1 is pulled up ashigh as it will 'go into the coil,

the passage of fluid from the upper to the lower part of the dash-pot is still restricted as is obvious; in other words the piston. 16 can' never rise instantaneously from its lowest to its highest position. \Vhen the coil 18 has moved the core 16 to the upper limit of its movement, a projection 25 on the core 16 engages the switch 14 d closes it, thus completing the circuit of tie coil 13 and tripping the circuit-' breaker 11. -The'tripping of this circuitbreaker deiinergizes all the circuits shown, and the core'16 immediately drops back to the bottom of the tube 15. The dropping of the core 16 is comparatively rapid be ause the valve 23 opens at this time to allow the passage of the fluid directly through the core.

Many modifications may be made in the precise arrangement shown and described, and all such which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention I aim to cover in the following claims:

What I claim as new is:

- 1. In a time-element device, the combination of a device which is movable in response to controlling conditions, a member having an orifice, a fluid which such movement tends to force through said oi-ifi and means for varying the size of the ori co in response to the same controlling conditions.

2. In a time-element device, a-.dash-pot,

Y means tending to move the piston of said dash-pot in response to controlling conditions, a member having an orifice, a fluid oh the compression side of said piston which the movement of said piston tends to force out through said orifice, and means for varIying the size of said orifice in responseto t 1e same controlling conditions.

3. In a time-element device, a dashpot, means responsive to controllingconditions for moving the piston of said dash-pot in one direction, the dash-pot, being provided with an orifice through which there is a tendency to draw a fluid into the dash-pot on the rarefaction side of the piston, and means responsive to the same controlling conditions for varying the size of said orifice.

i. In a time-element device, a dash-lot having relative moving parts and anlori ce, means responsive to controlling conditions or causing a "relative movement between an id ,parts, and means responsive to thesamc controlling conditions for varying'the size of said -orificc.

5. Inv a time-element device, 'a dash-pot,

means responsive to abnormal conditions for moving the piston of said dash-pot in one direction, the dash-pot bein provided with an orifice through which i: ere is a tendency to draw a fluid into thedash-pot on'the ra=rcfaction side of the piston, 'and means i'rspollslve to the same'ahnormal conditions for varying the size of said orifice.

H. In a time element device, the co'mbination of a dash-pot having a piston and an orifice, means responsive to controlling conditions for causing a relative movement of the dash-pot and piston, and means for varying the size of said orifice in response to said controlling conditions.

7. In combination, anelectrical circuit, a movable member, means rcsponslve t0 abnormal conditions in said circuit forcaiisin' movement of said member, means for retar mg the movement of said member, and means responsive to said abnormal conchtions for causing the rate of retardation of slty of said abnormal conditions up to a certain point and for insuring a desired effective retardation of said member under all abnormal conditions.

8. In a. time element device, the combination of a dashot, a by-pass connecting said dash-pot on t ie two sides of the piston thereof, said by-pass being provided with an orifice of variable size, means responsive to predetermined controlling conditions for causing relative movement of said dash-pot and piston, and means also responsive to said controlling conditions for varying the size of said orifice.

=9. A selective time-limit controlling-device for electric-switches including in combination operating=means for the switch, means to actuate said operating-means, a re ta rdingzdevice connected with the operatingmeans toretard its operation, and means responsive to an overload current to variably adjust the speed of motion of said retardingdeviceaccordin to the strength of the overload, substantia lyas described.

10. A selective tim liniit controlling-device for electric-switches including in combination .-.oper.ati g-means for the switch. means to actuatetfsaid .operiiting-means a retarding-device connected with the operating-meansflto retard'its o )eratiomand means responsive roan oyerloa current to variably ad just-the spccd of motion of said retardingdevirenu cording to tl e-strcngtli of the overload, said retarding-device having means permittingof itsqnick recovery u ion cessation of the overload, substantially as described. p I

11. A selcctiveltime lhnit contmlling-device fortelectr' switches including in c01nbmation operat ng-"means for the switch, means controller by an ovcrloiul current to actuate said o|ieruting-nlcans, a retarding; device to r'ctard l'novcmc'nt ofsaid o cratingmeans, and means also control le l li by' the overload current to vary the speed of motion of said retarding-device. according to the strength .of the overload, substantially as described.

12, A selective timc-lin'iitleimtrolling-dcvice for clectric-switehes juding in combination opemti-ngmums for the switch,

means operated by an overload current to actuate s'ai'd operating-means, a. retardingdevice to control the movement of said operating-humus, and means ,contmlledhy the overload currentto increase the speed of motion of said retardiingalevico according to ,the strength of the overhaul, to therebyreduce the time r'equiml for the operating means to operate the swit h according to the strength of the overload, substantially as described. a v

13. A selective time-limit controlling-device for ele'ctric-switches including in combination a switch-controller, an operating-denation a controlling-magnet responsive to an overload current, operating-means for the switch actuated thereby, a retarding device for said operating-means, and means responsive to an overload currentto regulate the speed of motion of said retarding-device, substantially as described.

14. A selective time-limit controlling-device for electric-switches including in combiv ice for said switch-controller, a retar device for said operating-device, actuate said operating-device, and means re sponsive to an overload current to variably adjust the speed of motion of said retardingdevice, substantiallv as described.

15. A selective time-limit controlling-device for electric-switches including in combinationa switch-controller, an operatin -device for said switch-controller, a rctar ingdevice for said operating-device, means operated by the over-load current to actuate said operatin -device, and means responsive to an overloa' of motion of said retarding-device, substantially as described. i a

16. A selective time-limit controlling-device for electric-switches including in combination a switch-controller, an operatin device for saidswitch-controller, a retar ingdevice for said operating-device, means controlled by an overload current to actuate said operating-device, and means responsive to an overload current to regulate the speed of motion of said retarding-device, substantially as described.

17. A selective time-limit .cpntrolling device for electric-switches including a controlling-magnet responsive to an overload current, operating-means for the switch actuated thereby, a retarding-device for said operating-means, and means responsive to an overload current to reduce the resistance strength of the overload, substantially as described. 4 l

18. A selective time-limit controlling-device for electric-switches including a sole means to current to regulate the speed.

. strength of the overload, substantially as described.

21. A selective time-limit controlling-device for electric-switches comprising a movable element, a controlling-magimt for said movable element arranged to be operated by an overload current, a timing-device for said movable element, and means controlled by the overloadcurrent for adjusting said timin -de"ice, substantiallyas described.

22. n a time element device, a. dash-pot, means responsive to controlling conditions for movingethe piston of said dash-pot, the

noid responsive to an overload current, op-

. crating-means for the switch actuated thereby, a fluid-controller timing-device to regulatethe speed of motion, a regulating-valve for said timing-device, and means controlled by the overload curn-nt to automatically adjust said valve according to the strength of the overload. substantially as described.

19. A selective time-limit controlling-device for electric switches comprising'operdash-pot ing provided with an orifice for said orifice controlled by the same controlling conditions providing for a mimmum and nmximum opening.

- through which fluid may move. and a valve 23. In a time-element device, a retarding deviceincli'iding two'parts, namely, a dashpot and a piston, means responsive to controlling conditions for moving said parts relatively to each other. an orifice in one of said parts through which fluid may move, and a valve for said orifice controlled by the same controlling conditions providing for a minimum and maximum openin 24. In a time element device, a retarding device including two parts. means adapted to lie'responsive to electrical conditions in a circuit for moving said parts relatively to each other, an orifice in one of said parts through which fluid may move, and a valve for said orifice controlled by the same electrical conditions providing for a minimum and maximum openin Milwaukee, Visa Juno 6. lflll.

Tn testimony whereof I ailix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. J01 INSON. 

